Blog

I dipped into the musical stream at home (boxes really at this point) and hooked some fine Rocky Mountain trout—Kane's River and Open Road, fine bluegrass from Montana and Colorado—to finish out January 06. Open Road is breaking up (tears of sadness) after a good run on Rounder. One member has opened up a honky tonk in LaPorte, Colorado, outside of Fort Collins, which in itself is an outstanding service to society.

Kane's River is out of the Gallatin Valley of Bozeman, Montana. If Montana’s not heaven I’m not sure I want to go. While other than the mountains it bears little resemblance to Appalachia, yet bluegrass is alive and well in Big Sky country. They make Gibson guitars in Bozeman. After Gibson pulled their mandolin manufacturing back to Nashville, many lutiers stayed and started up custom shops like Weber Mandolins. These folks (and the Yellowstone/ski area tourist-trade) attract some quality musicians. A friend of mine tech’d for Bill Monroe’s last show in Bozeman. Wish I could have been there for that.

Together Kane’s River have created several albums, including The Cottonwood (self-released as “Deep River” in 1997), Kane’s River (Doobie Shea, 2000), Official Bootleg #1 (recorded live in 2002), and Same River Twice (Snake River Records, 2003). Members at various times have included John Lowell, David Thompson, Julie Elkins, Jason Thomas, and Idaho-based Ben Winship.

Kane’s River members Ben Winship & David Thompson produced Fishing Music (Snake River Records, 2002) with some awesome artists—Mollie O’Brien, Tim O’Brien, Mike Dowling, Matt Flinner & tons more. John Lowell & Ben Winship put out an album in 1998, called Growling Old Men, great old-timey folk tunes, and followed up with Occupational Hazards (Snake River Records, 2005), which I have yet to procure. David Thompson & Julie Elkins also collaborated on My Feet Won’t Miss This Ground, which was scheduled for release late in 2005. Check out the offerings at www.kanesriver.com.

Santa Fe’s Mary & Mars (Mary And Mars) is another late-great Rocky Mountain bluegrass band I would have played if I could find the disc. I think it’s hiding under a rock. Duo Calentano is a side project of member Josh Martin, traditional Spanish/Sonoran fiddle-guitar tunes that works great filtering noise at work. Sharon Gilchrist, the San Juan Mountains’ heavenly apparition of a stand-up bass player, is in Uncle Earl now. Uncle Earl is a topic for a book of it’s own….

A bluegrass kick usually transitions in and out with newgrass, something like Nickel Creek, Béla Fleck, or even Yonder Mountain String Band if/when I ever find which box they’re in. Saw on Miles Of Music that The Coming Grass has a new album out so I dug that up. Maine’s a long way from the Rockies, and The Coming Grass isn’t bluegrass, or really even jamgrass, but it’s an interesting alt-country, roots rock variety pack. I found Sara Cox on a catamount Collective comp of new artists. I don't believe that last.fm artist by this name is the same lady, but the Yankee Cox has got a voice that could melt butter, which I’m sure is as useful in Maine as it is in Montana or Minnesota.


Other Top 10 artists for the clipped week ending Monday 30 Jan 06:
Jay Farrar (watch for Uncle Tupelo next week)
Lyle Lovett
Adam Carroll
Johnny Bush
Kate James & Lost Country

-jc